Cong alleges Delhi’s delayed master plan favours builders over infrastructure and sustainable urban development.
The Delhi unit of the Congress has criticised the prolonged delay in approving the Delhi Master Plan 2047, alleging that the proposed blueprint gives greater priority to construction and opening up land parcels for development while failing to address the Capital’s already overburdened civic infrastructure. Notably, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) approved the Master Plan for Delhi 2047 (MPD-2047) earlier lastweek, bringing an end to the prolonged wait for a new statutory urban planning framework.
The blueprint replaces the delayed 2041 draft and seeks to align Delhi’s future development with the Centre’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The plan has been formulated keeping in view an estimated population of 3.2 crore by 2047 and has now been forwarded to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for final notification. Although, Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav criticised the delay in approval of MPD-2047. He alleged that the Master Plan, drafted by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), appeared to benefit the builder lobby by encouraging high-density development without adequately addressing concerns such as shrinking green cover, air and water pollution, inadequate water supply, ageing sewerage and water networks, and worsening traffic congestion.
Yadav said the proposed increase in Floor Area Ratio (FAR) and permission for additional residential floors could put further pressure on existing civic infrastructure unless roads, electricity, water supply, drainage and sewerage systems are upgraded in tandem. “The much-delayed approval of the Delhi Master Plan 2047 appears to favour the builder lobby while adding to the burden on the already stressed civic infrastructure of the Capital,” Yadav said. He alleged that the plan’s focus on making more land available for development had come without sufficient consideration of ground realities and the implementation challenges confronting Delhi’s established urban and rural settlements.
Yadav also raised questions over the Delhi government’s demolition drives in JJ clusters, alleging that the exercise was intended to make land available for private development under the broader objectives of the Master Plan. He claimed that the demolition of slum clusters had displaced lakhs of poor residents and questioned whether the land cleared through such drives would genuinely be used for the rehabilitation and housing of the urban poor or eventually be opened up for private residential and commercial projects. He warned that redevelopment projects could encourage dense construction to ensure financial viability, even in areas where existing civic infrastructure is inadequate to support additional population and development.
According to Yadav, increasing construction density without strengthening drainage, water supply, electricity, sewerage and road networks could further deteriorate living conditions in the Capital. The Delhi Congress chief also pointed to the neglect of older urban and rural areas that have experienced rapid population growth but continue to remain inadequately integrated with formal municipal infrastructure and services. He said the expansion of commercial activity and high-density construction could place additional strain on Delhi’s already stretched water, drainage and sewerage systems. The growing vehicle population and limited parking infrastructure, he added, could further aggravate congestion and make daily life more difficult for residents. Yadav urged the Union Government to examine these concerns carefully before granting final approval to the Master Plan. He said Delhi’s long-term development should focus not only on unlocking land and promoting construction but also on strengthening civic infrastructure, protecting the environment and ensuring sustainable and balanced urban growth.
